Dads helping dads

Our mission is to ​support and empower fathers by offering opportunities for connection, education, and community engagement. We do this through holding events and groups, aggregating and providing resources, and modeling positive, sensitive, and engaged fatherhood within the larger community.

Events and Groups
Please consider this a snapshot of Dad Guild's regular programming offerings. For the most up-to-date programming information, please check out our most recent newsletter, available on the home page.

In-Person​

Playgroups
Typically three times a month, Dad Guild offers low key playgroups at a variety of community settings. These spaces provide an opportunity for fathers to connect with one another, engage in positive play with their children, and further familiarize themselves with different family-friendly locations in the greater Burlington area. Playgroups are drop-in style, meaning no registration is required, and folks can come and go as they please. Regular locations include playgrounds and local libraries.
Dads' Day/Night Out
Once or twice a month, Dad Guild hosts opportunities for fathers to connect with one another over a fun, shared interest. Leave the kids at home as dads grow their fatherhood network, share what's going on for them, and tell a few jokes. Regular opportunities have included video and board game nights, disc golf, and cribbage. Events take place at a variety of community locations.
Dads' Walk
Once a month, fathers have the opportunity to meet up at one of the many beautiful parks in the greater Burlington area to go for a walk, connect, and share what's going on for them. I'd be lying if I said conversations about Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson never popped up. The intention of this space is for fathers to connect, although babies and tiny humans who can be carried, worn, or strolled are welcome as well. Favorite locations have included Red Rocks and Rock Point.
Fires with Father
Dad Guild hosts a monthly peer support group that takes place at night, outside, around a campfire, on the loveliest property in all of Burlington, Rock Point. The group will be creates an intentional space for sharing, modeling vulnerability, active listening, and self-reflection with one another. There is more structure than other free flowing drop-in Dad Guild programs, and is a great opportunity to connect deeply with other fathers over each other's shared and unique experiences. This is an enrolled program, pre-registration is required. To get on the waiting list for the next experience, please email us at info@dadguild.org.

Virtual/Remote Programming

Zoom Check-Ins
Twice a month, Dad Guild offers the opportunity for fathers to connect via Zoom. These check-ins are not structured, and serve as a space for dads to connect with one another, over everything from relationship challenges to favorite songs. Check-ins happen twice a month on Wednesday nights, from 8:45-10:00pm. The Zoom link and specific dates each month can be found in our monthly newsletters.
Marco Polo Groups
Using the Marco Polo app, Dad Guild has multiple ongoing peer support groups that allow for fathers to share video messages with one another that they can view and respond to on their own time. Since it's implementation, these groups have fostered the development of some of the strongest friendships among men we have ever witnessed. Active listening. Modeling vulnerability. Good stuff all around. If you'd like to join the waitlist to sign up for a group, email us today!
Dad Guild Warmline
This statewide service allows fathers to reach out whenever they need someone to talk to. Maybe you're stressed, want to get some recipe ideas, or just want to hear our opinion regarding the best Vin Diesel movie (The Iron Giant, save yourself a call). We're calling it a warmline because no one will answer the phone, but you'll be able to leave a message and we'll get back to you at our earliest convenience. You are also welcome to send a text message as well if you prefer. And yes, this is also our general contact phone number. We have one free Google Voice number. That's how we roll. Get in touch today at (802) 318-4231.

Additional Ways to Join the Dad Guild Community!

An important part of our mission is to foster genuine connection among fathers, and while all of our events and groups are opportunities to get together (even if only virtually), we also offer specific check-ins where we can help support one another.
  • Monthly Newsletter - Sign up for our monthly newsletter, which shares the most up-to-date happenings, and typically provides some useful resources as well. Sign up today!
  • Active Facebook Group - Our Dad Guild Burlington Facebook group has seen a tremendous increase in usage this year, with folks looking for advice, making connections, and sharing hilarious videos. Currently there are over 300 fathers in the group, so check it out.
  • Follow Us on Social Media - We're on Facebook. We're on Instagram. We used to be on Twitter but no one really cared so we stopped.

Dadvocates

One of Dad Guild's driving tenets is community engagement. Our Dadvocate program empowers fathers throughout the state of Vermont by providing numerous opportunities for dads to get involved and make their communities healthier, happier, and more equitable places to live. So far, we have: 
  • Raised over  $3,300  to bring Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to the City of Winooski
  • Donated 100% of profits from sweatshirt sales to the Mawuhi African Market moving and transition funds fundraiser
  • Collected toys and money for dads in need around the holiday season
  • Facilitated a community drive for Winooski Mutual Aid, raising over $400 and collecting kids' hygiene products and art kits for nearly 50 children
  • Assisted in collecting child care stories from fathers for Let's Grow Kids, and their movement to make child care affordable and equitable for all
  • Launched the Dadvocate Giving Circle that focuses on raising awareness and funds for organizations addressing issues of systemic racism
And you'd better believe we aren't done yet. Stay tuned to see what's next!

Special Events

Dad Guild regularly partners up with other community organizations to offer special events that reach a larger audience. Previous partners have included The Family Room, ECHO, Building Bright Futures, Seed & Sew, Let's Grow Kids, and The Winooski Family Center. While the COVID-19 pandemic has made many of these types of events impossible for now, we hope to resume them in the future once it is safe to do so.

Resources

We encourage fathers to model vulnerability and talk about fatherhood topics as much as possible, across a variety of platforms. Normalizing fatherhood engagement is extremely important in our work, and the sharing of personal stories and perspectives is crucial to our success. Please reach out if you have a perspective you would like to share, and want support getting it out there.

Anti-Racism

Our organization is dedicated to doing our part to help dismantle systemic racism in our society, and we’re encouraging all fathers connected to Dad Guild to be a part of the solution as well. We're still working through how best we can contribute, but as part of that process we want to share what we're finding.

​Media Coverage

Read all about the start of our organization in this KidsVT cover story from 2019.
Check out this 2-minute feature on Local 22/44 News regarding Dad Guild, and the importance of social connections for fathers.

Past Newsletters

​Our main method of engagement with our members is via our newsletter and the associated event calendar. It's the best way to stay up-to-date on all that we're doing!

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​© 2020 Dad Guild, Inc. ​​